The Best Cities for Middle-Class Families in Every State
Choosing where to raise a family is a big decision, and several factors affect the best place for you and your loved ones.
If you are a middle-class family, affordability and cost of living likely play a large role, and you will likely also consider things like the quality of local schools, quality and availability of healthcare, and recreation opportunities.
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To find the best cities for middle-class families in every state, GOBankingRates found the most affordable city in each state selected by WalletHub as one of the best cities to raise a family. WalletHub’s ranking scored cities based on 45 metrics that fell into five categories: family fun, health and safety, education and child care, affordability and socioeconomics.
Here’s a look at the best cities for middle-class families in every state, based on the city with the best affordability ranking in each state.
Alabama: Huntsville
Affordability ranking: 45
Total score (out of a possible 100): 58.33
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Alaska: Juneau
Affordability ranking: 63
Total score (out of a possible 100): 54.40
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Arizona: Gilbert
Affordability ranking: 12
Total score (out of a possible 100): 64.02
Arkansas: Little Rock
Affordability ranking: 93
Total score (out of a possible 100): 42.70
California: Fremont
Affordability ranking: 11
Total score (out of a possible 100): 73.55
Colorado: Denver
Affordability ranking: 43
Total score (out of a possible 100): 56.84
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Connecticut: New Haven
Affordability ranking: 156
Total score (out of a possible 100): 43.43
Delaware: Wilmington
Affordability ranking: 131
Total score (out of a possible 100): 42.93
Florida: St. Petersburg
Affordability ranking: 48
Total score (out of a possible 100): 55.19
Georgia: Atlanta
Affordability ranking: 30
Total score (out of a possible 100): 54.01
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Hawaii: Pearl City
Affordability ranking: 73
Total score (out of a possible 100): 59.21
Idaho: Boise
Affordability ranking: 23
Total score (out of a possible 100): 63.34
Illinois: Aurora
Affordability ranking: 83
Total score (out of a possible 100): 54.99
Indiana: Fort Wayne
Affordability ranking: 60
Total score (out of a possible 100): 48.68
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Iowa: Cedar Rapids
Affordability ranking: 6
Total score (out of a possible 100): 58.49
Kansas: Overland Park
Affordability ranking: 1
Total score (out of a possible 100): 70.11
Kentucky: Lexington
Affordability ranking: 25
Total score (out of a possible 100): 58.64
Louisiana: Baton Rouge
Affordability ranking: 97
Total score (out of a possible 100): 42.95
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Maine: Portland
Affordability ranking: 44
Total score (out of a possible 100): 59.63
Maryland: Columbia
Affordability ranking: 2
Total score (out of a possible 100): 60.81
Massachusetts: Worcester
Affordability ranking: 102
Total score (out of a possible 100): 47.39
Michigan: Grand Rapids
Affordability ranking: 41
Total score (out of a possible 100): 51.88
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Minnesota: Minneapolis
Affordability ranking: 3
Total score (out of a possible 100): 60.81
Mississippi: Jackson
Affordability ranking: 158
Total score (out of a possible 100): 39.90
Missouri: Kansas City
Affordability ranking: 46
Total score (out of a possible 100): 51.60
Montana: Billings
Affordability ranking: 27
Total score (out of a possible 100): 56.41
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Nebraska: Lincoln
Affordability ranking: 16
Total score (out of a possible 100): 61.80
Nevada: Henderson
Affordability ranking: 62
Total score (out of a possible 100): 59.12
New Hampshire: Nashua
Affordability ranking: 34
Total score (out of a possible 100): 59.11
New Jersey: Jersey City
Affordability ranking: 96
Total score (out of a possible 100): 55.46
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New Mexico: Albuquerque
Affordability ranking: 77
Total score (out of a possible 100): 46.67
New York: Buffalo
Affordability ranking: 51
Total score (out of a possible 100): 48.97
North Carolina: Raleigh
Affordability ranking: 10
Total score (out of a possible 100): 55.39
North Dakota: Bismarck
Affordability ranking: 4
Total score (out of a possible 100): 62.72
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Ohio: Columbus
Affordability ranking: 37
Total score (out of a possible 100): 53.64
Oklahoma: Oklahoma City
Affordability ranking: 39
Total score (out of a possible 100): 54.32
Oregon: Portland
Affordability ranking: 36
Total score (out of a possible 100): 59.82
Pennsylvania: Pittsburgh
Affordability ranking: 22
Total score (out of a possible 100): 57.89
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Rhode Island: Warwick
Affordability ranking: 20
Total score (out of a possible 100): 59.81
South Carolina: Charleston
Affordability ranking: 24
Total score (out of a possible 100): 62.53
South Dakota: Sioux Falls
Affordability ranking: 18
Total score (out of a possible 100): 60.88
Tennessee: Chattanooga
Affordability ranking: 53
Total score (out of a possible 100): 49.53
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Texas: Plano
Affordability ranking: 7
Total score (out of a possible 100): 68.05
Utah: Salt Lake City
Affordability ranking: 40
Total score (out of a possible 100): 55.27
Vermont: South Burlington
Affordability ranking: 33
Total score (out of a possible 100): 58.56
Virginia: Chesapeake
Affordability ranking: 31
Total score (out of a possible 100): 60.31
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Washington: Seattle
Affordability ranking: 8
Total score (out of a possible 100): 64.14
West Virginia: Charleston
Affordability ranking: 35
Total score (out of a possible 100): 47.66
Wisconsin: Madison
Affordability ranking: 5
Total score (out of a possible 100): 62.18
Wyoming: Cheyenne
Affordability ranking: 21
Total score (out of a possible 100): 55.72
Data is sourced from WalletHub and is accurate as of May 28, 2024.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: The Best Cities for Middle-Class Families in Every State